In a stunning reversal, officials say Cannon Beach election results are the opposite of how they appeared
CANNON BEACH, Ore. — A divisive election in the quaint Oregon Coast town of Cannon Beach just brought the community a renewed wave of upheaval, after county election officials revealed that the unofficial results of two competing ballot measures had been flipped in all previous reporting.
When the dust settled after the May 2025 special election, it looked as if a push to require public votes on all expensive city projects had narrowly won. Instead, the Clatsop County Elections office said Wednesday, it was the status quo which was winning all along.
The former, Measure 04-235, was the result of a citizen petition and would require an election to approve any city project expected to cost over $6.5 million funded by non-emergency finances. This would essentially take that decision-making power away from the elected city council — which supporters argue is the point. They think that the public should have a say in all decisions of that scale.
In response, the city council created an opposing initiative, Measure 04-236, which would clarify the city charter and essentially enshrine the status quo — the elected five-member city council would have the power to approve spending, keeping them eligible for vital grants that generally require a more decisive process.
https://www.kgw.com/article/news/local/the-story/cannon-beach-ballot-measure-election-results-reversed-error-mix-up/283-a019cf43-c4bd-4ec7-b8d9-f3e1d7322e8d